Air conditioning is key to maintaining a comfortable home in your Atlantic Beach, Florida. You can improve your HVAC efficiency and increase your home comfort by upgrading your system. Keep reading to learn about five essential HVAC upgrades that will keep your family happy and healthy throughout the year.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

A simple, cost-effective upgrade to your HVAC system is a programmable thermostat. Some benefits of using a programmable thermostat in your home include:

• Increasing efficiency and higher energy savings.
• Extending the life of your HVAC system.
• Maintaining a more comfortable temperature throughout your home.

A great feature of programmable thermostats is their ability to save preferred temperatures for certain times of the day. For instance, you can set the thermostat to automatically adjust to a higher temperature when you leave for work and set it to cool down before you come home. This feature helps you save energy while keeping the climate in your home comfortable to your exact specifications. Once you program your preferred temperatures, you’ll spend less time manually adjusting the thermostat to keep your family comfortable throughout the day and night.

Add HVAC Zoning Capabilities

Many programmable thermostats connect to a multi-zone HVAC system to save even more energy and improve overall comfort. A zoned HVAC system means that you can set different areas of your house to different temperatures. This is particularly useful for cooling down the bedrooms before your family goes to sleep. You can set the system to decrease temperatures in only the upstairs bedrooms, excluding the living room and kitchen on the first floor.

A zoned HVAC system will save you from spending money to adjust temperatures in the whole house when you’re only using a particular area. Additionally, you can set different temperatures based on the preferences of each family member to further increase your home’s overall comfort.

Upgrade or Add Air Filtration Devices

Your HVAC system helps improve your indoor air quality because it uses a filter to clean the dirty particles that pass through the system before blowing the conditioned air through your home. However, you you need to change your air filter every one to two months. As a result, you’ll keep it from clogging, which reduces its effectiveness.

Even if you change your air filter regularly, dust and other air pollutants can settle in your ductwork. Keeping your air ducts clean will help reduce the number of dirty particles circulating through your house.

You might need more than just your HVAC system’s air filter to keep your indoor air clean and healthy. Our team can install electronic air cleaners and purifiers with UV lights on your HVAC system. These devices will keep your indoor air healthy throughout the year, further improving your family’s health and comfort.

Increase Ventilation

Living in a humid climate often means you’re less likely to increase your home’s ventilation by opening a window to let in the fresh air. However, there are other ventilation options you can try, including an energy recovery ventilator (ERV), a whole-house dehumidifier and ceiling fans.

An ERV works to recycle your conditioned air while pulling in the fresh outside air. Similarly, a whole-house dehumidifier with a fresh air damper can bring in the outside air without the humidity. A simpler option for increased ventilation is using a ceiling fan to circulate the hot air that naturally rises, working with your HVAC system to keep your air moving and to keep it from feeling stale. These ventilation options will keep your home feeling fresh and comfortable throughout the year.

Maintain Adequate Insulation

If the air coming through your vents isn’t as cold as you like, it might be time for an air conditioning repair. However, the issue might be solved by better insulating your ductwork. If your ductwork isn’t adequately insulated, the heat surrounding the ducts works against the cool air passing through the ductwork as it travels to your vents. Keep your air ducts insulated to improve your HVAC system’s efficiency and comfort.

You can save on energy costs and maintain comfort by updating your HVAC system. Call Ocean State Air Conditioning & Heating today at (904) 574-5619 to schedule regular maintenance. We can provide more expert suggestions on upgrades for your HVAC system.

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